Thursday, September 20, 2012

More Reno Fun

Good Morning Everyone,

Woke up to the sound of my heat coming on, its really cool this morning, and I am so not ready for the cold weather yet.

I took so many photos at the Reno conference (I should say that I kept handing my camera to any one passing by) that I am having a ball going over them again.



My friend, Prudence Mapstone, found a copy of my first book (long out of print), and carried it all the way from Australia so that I could sign it for her. Now that is a true friend!


Laurinda Reddig's beautiful vest won the grand prize in the Crochet Contest.  The pictures do not do it justice.  The detail is incredible and the vest is completely reversible.  Truly a work of art.



Back view of Laurinda's vest.


One of my students from the New Hampshire Conference (sorry I forgot her name for the moment, maybe it will come back to me).


 Myra Wood, Me and Melba at the dinner and fashion show.



Jennifer Hansen and me at the dinner and fashion show.


 Myra Wood, Melba, Me, Jorel, Mirtooli, Prudence Mapstone, Barbara Wunder Hynes and Jennifer Hansen at the "Ball".



The "die hards" who do not want the party to end gathering in the lobby. Tammy Hildebrand, Ellen Gormley, Doris Chan, Jenny King, Vashti Braha, Laurinda, Barbara Wunder Hynes, Mirtooli, Marty Miller, Melba, Me, Linda Dean, Jorel, Kathleen Sams, Amy Shelton.

Still more to come, have a great day.

Margaret

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

More Photos from Reno Conference

Good Morning Everyone,

Stormy weather all around yesterday, spent the day pouring over yarn colors. I am starting another new book and I have to start ordering yarns for all the new projects. I love this part of my job.

More photos from the Reno Conference

 Amy Shelton from Crochetville, Nancy Nehring and Cari Clement, editor of KNIT 1-2-3 and CROCHET 1-2-3 having fun at Professional Development Day.



Patty Lyon and Zontee Hue from Lion Brand, enjoying a morning snack before heading to the Lion Brand Booth in the market.


 Jorel, Prudence, Me and Kathleen Sams from Red Heart at the Red Heart- Crochetville's very busy booth in the market.



 Me, book signing at the Red Heart/Crochetville Booth.  Met lots of enthusiastic crocheters.



 Kathleen Sams, me and Josie.





Myra, Jennifer and Me.

Have a great day!

Margaret

Monday, September 17, 2012

Reno Nevada Conference

Hello Everyone,

I just returned from the CGOA/TKGA conference held in Reno, NV. It is always such a fun time for me.

I did not teach classes this time but I was there speaking at Professional Development Day, and doing a few book signings.  One of the high lights of the conference was the attendance of quite a few of the west coast free formers. Some that I have met before and several that I had never met.
We belong to an online group that consists of members from about 14 countries, a very diversified, fun group.  It was so great being able to gather with them and have some really fun times together.

As I was not teaching, I had lots of free time. and was so happy to be able to spend that time with  
old friends and new. It will take a few blog posts to get it all in, so you will be seeing photos for quite a few days.



Fellow Free Formers, Fermin, Prudence, Jenny, and Me



Dinner with more Free Formers, Me, Jorel, Melba, Mirtooli, Prudence and Fermin.




Jan, my buddy from the Texas Group, (they made me an honorary member)



New friend, discovered that she grew up in NY now lives in Reno, was fun meeting you Vikki!



Carol Alexander, Editor of CROCHET! magazine, me and Kara Gott, editor of CREATIVE KNITTING magazine. 
More Photos coming, just running out of time today. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Margaret





Sunday, September 2, 2012

Good Morning Everyone,

I cannot believe how fast the days go flying by and how long it has been since my last post.  I have been very busy, just finished two books in the past year. The first one, LACE FOR ADVENTUROUS CROCHETERS, will be out soon and is already available for pre order on amazon.com. The second one, is still under wraps, but I will be able to talk about it very soon.

I had a little down time, before thinking of starting another book so I decided to work on some unfinished projects that have been sitting around for way too long.  Of course I cannot sit still for too long, so new design proposals and a new book proposal are already in the works.

One of the projects, some of you may remember, is the jacket made from a collection of old doilies. I started it about 18 months ago, on a cold winter day, with snow coming down like mad. I was really excited about it and made a great beginning and even blogged about it - then life got in the way and I put it aside. It is definitely NOT your weekend project. Well I finally finished it and plan on wearing it while at the conference in Reno. I got the idea for the jacket from my friend and fellow designer, Prudence Mapstone. While we were on a trip, Prudence was buying up all these old doilies at thrift shops etc. When I asked Prudence what she was going to do with them, she told me that she had planned to make a skirt. I thought that was a great idea, and I had quite a few doilies myself, but then I thought that I would probably never wear a skirt. After thinking about it for awhile, I thought maybe I would try to do a jacket. I am really pleased with the results.



I really did not know how to begin my project, but I got the brilliant idea (even if I say so myself) of combining two different craft ideas. I used Makuba water soluble solvy as a base, cut my pattern before i even started playing with the doilies. Once I had the pattern cut, I started placing the doilies, moving them around, constantly changing placement, until I got them in a pleasing design.



I started with the sleeves, thinking that would be the easiest way, and it did work. This stuff is really easy to work with, not like the original water soluble stuff that I worked with several years ago.
Sewing the sleeves was fairly easy to do.


I had bought a lovely old crochet collar at a flea market, and I wanted that to be the whole neckline of the jacket back and front. That was the trickiest part of the whole thing. Sewing the body, which is made in one piece, was a challenge, but once I got going it became easier.

When I was all finished, I gave the entire jacket a dye bath to try to even out all the different shades of the doilies. Did not work out exactly as I planned, but I still love it.

Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend all, we have a beautiful, sun shiny day here, but believe it or not, we had two small power outages this morning. I really feel for all the hurricane victims and what they are going through, with no power for days on end.  I hope that they get help soon.

Margaret

ps: photos were taken by my son Chris, he always makes me look good :-)